This week the Center for Nonviolent Communication shared that Marshall Rosenberg, American Psychologist and creator of Nonviolent Communication, died on February 7th, 2015 at home with his wife and children at his side. If you are not an RDA volunteer, then you might wonder what this has to do with cloth diapers….

RDA Founder, Lori Taylor, sums it up nicely:
“By creating a system for learning nonviolent communication and by being an ambassador for compassion, Marshall Rosenberg helped many of us to slow down and look at the real needs underlying our communications. Real Diaper Association has required our volunteers to learn nonviolent communication from our founding 11 years ago because we want those who represent our organization to hear what parents really need rather than getting caught up on the surface of what they say. We mourn his passing and celebrate his work.”

Current RDA Chair, Angela Torres adds:
“Marshall Rosenberg’s vision has been the cornerstone of RDA since it’s inception helping us to become the longstanding support organization our founders intended. As we enter our second decade, we will continue to use the tenants of NVC to reach through every situation to meet the individual needs of every family, virtually and face to face, listening deeply and acting with kindness.”

RDA Board member, Angela Imes adds:

“I would just want to express my gratitude to a man whose words and ideas have helped me through many of life’s difficult moments.”

I wrote a post last June to help people understand how Nonviolent Communication is such an integral tool to the RDA, entitled “What makes the Real Diaper Association special?” I believe the quote pictured above grasps one of the most important aspects of how we use NVC. We are educating to increase well-being and we want that education to be done by helping to meet a family’s needs. Relaying that education without coercion is of utmost importance to us because we value person to person connection. Our NVC training, however, reaches far beyond our RDA communications. In my experience, it has improved every relationship in my life.

Thank you Marshall. May you rest in peace. Your work will continue to bring peace and compassion to everyone that uses it!

Cloth diaper data included ironing. Ironing. Taking a hot iron and flattening out every cloth diaper. You know we all do that.

This study did not compare all disposable diapers with all cloth diapers. It compared a lower-impact subset of future, wished-for disposable diapers with a higher-impact subset of uncommon cloth diapers.

Given all of these flaws in framing the questions and gathering the data, the worst this study could find was a small overlap in environmental impact between thick terry diapers washed and dried by machine then ironed and the best-case disposable diapers of the future. That’s all. That’s the small area of overlap that is misused to justify a conclusion of similar impact.

Since few use terry nappies (a lot like thick hand towels) and none of us irons our diapers, we’re left wondering how that could ever be considered representative of cloth diapers as used in 2005, let alone in 2015. Since no one was using the wishful thinking disposable diapers of the future in 2005, it was a nonsensical conclusion even then.

Even with all of the trouble in data, sources, and conflicts of interest, a tiny overlap was all they could come up with. That’s all that was needed to cast fear, uncertainty, and doubt over the common sense conclusion that reusable diapers are better for the environment than single-use diapers.

You don’t have to buy into that nonsense, though.

We could (and should) continue to argue about the flaws in this study, nevertheless, we can still use the findings as they are to show that cloth diapers have 40% lower impact than disposable diapers.

Cloth diapers have 40% lower impact than disposable diapers.

Are Cloth Diapers Better for the Environment?

Cloth diapers are absolutely better for the environment than any disposable diaper on the market today. If parents make an effort, they can easily lower the impact even further.

Most of the impact of cloth diapers (about 90%) comes from the energy used to heat water. Wash diapers at 140 degrees, which is hot enough to clean diapers without wasting energy.

Have you ever tried handwashing cloth diapers? Because so little water is used and it is not hot, handwashing uses very little energy for lowest overall impact.

The rest of the energy used with cloth diapers (12%) goes to the electric dryer. Air dry diapers to lower impact.

Other considerations that lower overall environmental impact are detergent choice (avoid phosphate-based detergents, which case nutrient water pollution), renewable resources (like cotton and wool over synthetic fibers), organics (which cause less stress on environment), and reuse for another child.

When you talk with cloth diapering parents or new parents concerned about environmental impacts, help them understand that their choices make a big difference.

Speak Up!

If you see a claim that there is no difference in environmental impact of cloth diapers vs. disposable diapers, call shenanigans.

I call shenanigans on your claim!

Speak up. Comment. Provide reliable information to show that even the study cited doesn’t conclude what it is simplistically claimed to conclude. Remind authors and speakers that the study shows cloth diapers have 40% lower impact than disposable diapers. Repeat that over and over until people get it.

How to Lower the Environmental Impact of Cloth Diapers

How do you lower impacts of reusable cloth diapers?

Use Energy Star rated washing machines.

Wash diapers at 140 degrees.

Air dry.

Use washable wipes and liners.

Use low-impact detergent.

Use organic products.

Reuse diapers for the next child, then give them away or sell them to another.

When families are researching cloth diapers, most of them are looking to save money. Saving money is a huge perk to using cloth diapers! You might think saving the most money requires hunting down sales, shopping bargain stores or joining a co-op to get the best diaper deal. Unfortunately, buying inexpensive, unethical diapers can often lead to spending more money in the long run as well as to several other drawbacks. Don’t worry! You can still use quality cloth diapers without breaking the bank.

What is an “ethical diaper?” CleanDiapers.org tells us that clean or ethical diapers are:

Supported with a warranty and personal service

Sturdy with long-lasting value

Safe for your baby, tested & proven

Sustainable for your community and for the earth

In 2013 the Real Diaper Association researched and created a Cloth Diaper Co-op Report to give consumers a better understanding of how their cloth diaper purchases could effect not only their bank accounts and their babies’ health, but also the cloth diaper industry as a whole.

Not all diapers are created equal. Some knock off diapers are made in factories where workers are not paid a living wage. These unethical diapers can be made with lower quality or un-tested fabrics and components that could pose a health risk to your baby. If you have a problem with a low-quality knock-off diaper, who will help you? Purchasing poorly made diapers, in an attempt to save money, can result in a diaper that doesn’t work well or needs to be replaced quickly. Will you wind up spending more money to replace those diapers or will you get frustrated and give up on using cloth diapers all together? The Real Diaper Association doesn’t want to see you go through that. We can help.

Ethical Cloth Diaper Solutions

Find a cloth diaper retailer near you. This could mean an online retailer or a brick and mortar store. All of these business owners want to build a relationship with you. They want to be your local resource. Purchase your cloth diapers through a local small business and reach out to them with questions. Many of them have classes on different parenting related topics.

Cloth diapering done simply will save you money. I’ve recently had two of my local Real Diaper Circle members tell me how much money they were saving by using cloth diapers, and it warmed my heart to know that the decision to use cloth diapers has helped them to be able to afford other basic needs.

Stephanie said:

“(I) Just had a Mom say she spends $200 every 8 weeks on [disposable] diapers for one baby. That would be $400 for twins. And my identical girls… they are 18 weeks today. So, that means we would have spent $900 on diapers since birth. We have spent a TOTAL of $114 on cloth diapers so far. We are using clotheez sized prefolds and thirsties duo wrap covers (we used Pooters newborn covers). So we have saved $886 by using cloth so far and the girls are only 4 months old.”

Jen said:

“We have saved a lot of money by using cloth diapers. We received many second-hand cloth diapers as gifts and our water bill only increased by $2 when we started washing diapers in our standard top loading washing machine!”

I hope this helps those of you just getting started!

If you already use cloth, how much did it cost you to get started? Post an answer below or via social media including the hashtags #SchoolOfCloth #clothdiapercost

Recently, we had an opportunity to interview Susan McCarthy, co-owner of Enkore Kids from Boonsboro, MD. Enkore Kids is a sponsor and donated $500 in cloth diaper products to the 2014 School of Cloth event, much of which will be donated to charities who distribute cloth diapers to low-income families.

How important a task is cloth diaper education to your business?

Cloth diaper education is very important to our business. So many people still believe cloth diapers are all about plastic pants, pins, and wet pails. Our classes show them it’s so much easier than they thought. We believe in helping families to save money and to help reduce the environmental impact of having a child. Education helps parents make the best choices for their families without succumbing to misleading advertisements or the latest hype. If a parent is educated from the beginning about diapers, they are more likely to ask for information about other aspects of their child’s life, like with proper car seat installation and use (which is another service we offer).

How frequently do you teach cloth diapering classes in your community? What types of classes do you teach?

We teach families everyday in-store about diapers and offer classes several times a year about diapers. We also offer classes and education in the areas of baby wearing and car seat safety.

Do you have a favorite memory about a class or family that you taught?

I met this particular couple one evening as the store was getting ready to close. I was able to stay late and helped them purchase several diapers and accessories to go with diapers they had been given. The mother was due the next month and I encouraged them to come visit me with their car seat so I could teach them how to properly install and use it. They sent me a picture a few weeks later of their newborn baby girl – I was so happy for them. They called me a few days later with concerns about the baby not wanting to breast feed. I was able to find a couple of names and phone numbers for them and within a few days baby was eating great. They just came to visit recently to show off the baby and to look into getting some cloth swim diapers for an upcoming trip, a car seat poncho for this winter and for me to teach them how to safely travel with their car seat. Since that night that I stayed late to help them, they have been coming back for more and more information and products and they have been now recommending our store to their friends and family.

What’s your favorite piece of advice to give NEW parents about cloth diapering?

My favorite piece of advice to give to new parents about cloth diapering is to not give up- they may need to try several brands and/or styles of diapers before the find the right combination to fit their baby and their lifestyle. Also, as baby grows they may need to adjust their routines and stash again. Cloth diapering is not a one time purchase and your done, even with “one-size” diapers. Its an evolving part of your child’s life.

How else do you support cloth diapers in your community?

Enkore Kids has locally organized and sponsored the Boonsboro Great Cloth Diaper Change, with anywhere from 27 to 46 families each each year. We’ve also used the event to help raise funds for a local cloth diaper closet to help families in need get started with cloth diapers. While it is still a small program, we hope to expand the program next year with our new partnership with the Washington County League of Foster and Adoptive Families

Enkore Kids specializes in new and used cloth diapers, baby carriers, clothing, toys, and baby-related equipment. We offer our customers and community a great way to raise their children affordably in these increasingly difficult economic times. We provide families with a way to get money back for items their children have outgrown or are no longer using and provide a great selection of gently used items at less than new retail prices to help them provide new items for their children. Our large selection of new and used diapers can help a family save thousands of dollars just in diapering alone. We have an ever changing selection of items and take pride in getting to know our customers and being able to spend time helping them make the best choices for their families

You can find more information about Enkore Kids at the following links:

What is School of Cloth?

School of Cloth is a month full of FREE cloth diaper classes provided by participating Real Diaper Circles and Real Diaper Association businesses all across the nation. Participants are eligible for a chance to win a cloth diaper prize package and winners will be able to select which charities a larger prize package will be donated to. To find your local host, please review the School of Cloth main page.

The Real Diaper Association focuses on fact based evidence. Some of that evidence comes from collecting data from our own experiments (like our yeast in cloth diapers experiment), interviews with experts, good old fashioned research, and cloth diaper users like you! This week, we designed a quick experiment for cloth diaper users to measure the absorbency of one or more of their diapers. The more diapers you test and results you submit, the better data we will have to publish!

Experiment:

Measure and pour 4 cups (32 oz.) of water into a large bowl.

Place the diaper or insert in the bowl until saturated.

Lightly squeeze just enough liquid out of the diaper to stop it from dripping.

Measure how much liquid is left in the bowl and subtract this number from the original 32 oz., to find out how much water your diaper or insert absorbed.

*For added information about how well fabric holds on to liquid*

Place your saturated diaper in a casserole dish on a counter or table with a folded towel under one side so that it is leaning just a bit.

Press down on the diaper with your hand to simulate a baby sitting in the diaper.

Lift your diaper out of the casserole dish and measure the amount of water that the diaper released with this moderate pressure.

Repeat the experiment with other fabrics and/or styles of diapers. Comment below with your results and make sure to include:

Recently, we had an opportunity to interview Stacee Magee, mother of 7 wonderful children, creator of Boingo Baby from Mesa, Arizona. As a mom who has cloth diapered for over 17 years with prefolds and pins, the Boingo design had been brewing in the back of her mind for a long time. Now her dream has finally come true and we are excited to offer you our Boingo family of products including Boingo cloth diaper fasteners and EcoMax diapers and prefolds. Stacee is a sponsor and donated $500 in cloth diaper products to the 2014 School of Cloth event, much of which will be donated to charities who distribute cloth diapers to low-income families.

How important a task is cloth diaper education to your business?

With environmentally conscious consumers and the devastating effects of global warming rampaging our planet, parents are looking to save money with eco-friendly options. With a market share that is nearly doubling every year, it seems that more and more parents are switching to cloth diapers. In most cases those parents cant ask their parents for advice on cloth becasue their parents most likely used disposable. Education bridges that gap and teaches a new generation about the benefits of cloth diapers. It is the reason why Boingo started out Cloth Revolution Campaign.

How frequently do you teach cloth diapering classes in your community? What types of classes do you teach?

We are working with our local WIC offices to start a teaching campaign.

What’s your favorite piece of advice to give NEW parents about cloth diapering?

Don’t get frustrated by all the options. Start simple, prefolds, covers, and Boingos are an inexpensive way to get started. From there you can try out and add new diapers to your stash!

We are moving to be a completely zero waste company and will be totally solar powered by the end of the year!

You can find more information about Boingo Baby at the following links:

What is School of Cloth?

School of Cloth is a month full of FREE cloth diaper classes provided by participating Real Diaper Circles and Real Diaper Association businesses all across the nation. Participants are eligible for a chance to win a cloth diaper prize package and winners will be able to select which charities a larger prize package will be donated to. To find your local host, please review the School of Cloth main page.

When it comes to cloth diaper laundry, simple is best. You shouldn’t need a complex routine. A cloth diaper washing routine that fits on a post-it note makes it easy for any visiting laundry fairy to get your diapers clean without worry! (A girl can dream, right?!?) For evidence-based washing instructions, see the 5 Easy Steps for Washing Cloth Diapers at the Real Diaper Association’s Cloth Diaper Laundry Guide page.

Our Laundry guide is a great place to start for any cloth diapering family. You may find that your laundry routine needs some adjustments at some point or another during your baby’s time in diapers. So where do you go for trusted information?

Reading the Real Diaper Association’s Laundry Science page should help you get a better idea of the necessary components of a successful wash routine and may give you insight into what changes your laundry routine may need to best wash your diapers. Once you have an idea about what the problem may be, contact your diaper manufacturer and ask them for their recommendations. They know their diapers best and will be able to tell you if your routine will shorten the life of your diapers or void their warranty, if applicable.

Talk to your local Real Diaper Circle! Cloth diapering families near you will most likely have similar water hardness/softness. Reaching out to local families will help you determine the most effective amount of detergent required to get your diapers clean. They will also know what cloth diaper safe detergents are available to purchase locally.

Troubleshoot with an expert. Who’s an expert? Look for someone that has been helping parents get their cloth diapering questions answered for years. Beware groups that suggest there is only one way or one answer. Water hardness/softness, washing machine variability, detergent formulations and your babies age and health status can all play a role in your laundry routine. Experts may be your local Real Diaper Circle Leader, your Grandmother, your diaper manufacturer, your cloth diaper safe detergent manufacturer, a cloth diaper retailer, or a select few bloggers.

The WATCH Formula helps you understand the necessary components of successfully washing diapers.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten about washing cloth diapers? Share your answers publicly via social media including the hashtags #SchoolOfCloth and #ClothDiaperLaundry and look for a School of Cloth class near you!

If you are a blogger, join our School of Cloth Blog Hop and link up for the entire month of November! See blogger details.

Recently, we had an opportunity to interview Maria Moser from Change-Diapers from Middletown, Maryland. Maria is a business member of the Real Diaper Association and donated $500 in cloth diaper products to the 2014 School of Cloth event, much of which will be donated to charities who distribute cloth diapers to low-income families.

How important a task is cloth diaper education to your business?

Absolutely essential! Families will give up if they don’t have all the information.

How frequently do you teach cloth diapering classes in your community? What types of classes do you teach?

Since we fortunately have a cloth diaper retailer not far away, I offer classes when asked at local birth & baby fairs (2x or so per year.)

Do you have a favorite memory about a class or family that you taught?

I loved at the Hagerstown B&B fair this year hearing a mom (attending with her expectant daughter) talking about the diapers she used and her amazement at today’s!

What’s your favorite piece of advice to give NEW parents about cloth diapering?

Don’t stress!! It will all work out. Washing isn’t as hard as you think.

Maria started Change-Diapers 5 years ago as she was making her own switch to cloth. She has been cloth diapering constantly since and has cloth diapers 2 full time at once, and still uses cloth on her 5-year old at night. She has used nearly 200 different brands/styles and has muddled through all the good & bad advice to find a great routine for herself.

You can find more information about Change-Diapers at the following links:

What is School of Cloth?

School of Cloth is a month full of FREE cloth diaper classes provided by participating Real Diaper Circles and Real Diaper Association businesses all across the nation. Participants are eligible for a chance to win a cloth diaper prize package and winners will be able to select which charities a larger prize package will be donated to. To find your local host, please review the School of Cloth main page.

School of Cloth 2014

The Real Diaper Association is celebrating 10 years of supporting cloth diapering advocates and cloth diaper users just like you! We want to continue to help you successfully use 100% reusable cloth diapers and we want to applaud those of you educating others about the benefits of cloth diapers. One of the best ways to educate others about cloth diapers is to give you an excuse to get together with your community. In order to support and encourage your efforts to teach your community about cloth diapers we are hosting the second annual School of Cloth event!

School of Cloth is all about education and giving back. Although anyone can register to teach a School of Cloth class, Real Diaper Association donors and Real Diaper Circle Leaders may sign up to teach School of Cloth Classes at no charge. What are the benefits of teaching a School of Cloth class? Well, other than the fact that you get to share your knowledge about cloth diapers, all attending students will be entered to win cloth diapering related prizes from the generous businesses supporting School of Cloth. That’s not all our winners get… Remember when I said this was about giving back? Our winners will get to choose one of the registered (5013c) cloth diaper charities to receive a separate donation worth an estimated $400!

No classes near you? If you can’t attend or teach a class, you can still join in the fun by following our blog posts and blog hop and by answering our School of Cloth questions with the #SchoolOfCloth on social media.

Are you a blogger that would like to learn more about how to participate in this year’s School of Cloth Blog Hop? Blogger suggestions and tools can be found HERE.

This years Fact or Fiction themed blog hop will be hosted here at realdiaperevents.org and will include the following topics:

Executive Director Announcement

On behalf of the Board of Directors, it gives me great pleasure to announce Mary Green as the new Executive Director of the Real Diaper Association.

Mary comes to the RDA having spent most of her career in the non-profit sector, and she brings this wealth of knowledge and experience to the RDA. Mary also has a background in languages that will allow us reach out to even more families. And, like us, she also brings her practical experience as a cloth diapering mom.

We look forward to continued growth and new ideas to spread our message of Simple, Reusable, Sustainable Real Cloth Diapers with Mary on our team.

Please join us in welcoming Mary Green to the Real Diaper Association at a 10th anniversary celebration reception in Las Vegas next week, Friday, September 5th, 7:00-10:00PM.